Treasured Moments
by clover71
Summary: TREASURED MOMENTS is a collection of one-shot stories that are set in the 'Precious Moments' verse... Seq(3): Naruto thinks he's been through the worst situation in his shinobi life but none of his training has ever prepared him for the most difficult challenge he has ever faced: motherhood... SasuNaru. MPREG MalexMale/Slash (Pls don't read if not into slash/ malexmale & mpreg)
1. Choices To Make, Chances To Take

I wasn't supposed to post this here since this is just a one-shot fic written for a challenge in LiveJournal but I needed to do something to take my mind off work for about 15 minutes, otherwise I'm going to explode. So here you go, and a few things you might want to take note:

1) This is sort of a sequel to **Precious Moments **but not really since everything I will post under 'Treasured Moments' will be** one-shot stories** based on the same universe as 'Precious Moments' and not a whole story divided by chapters. This is just a glimpse of the characters' futures.

2) I am uncertain if it has ever been mentioned what religion(s) is/ are practiced in the Naruto world, only that they consider the Sage of the Six Paths and even Hashirama Senju as gods of the shinobi. I do remember watching an episode in the anime where they prayed but they never really called out to any deity.

That said, I was uncertain how the wedding ceremony should be presented so I decided to follow one of the traditional weddings in Japan. I know nothing about Shinto-style weddings and everything here are based on a quick research on the internet but I did add a few of my own touch so most of the ceremony are merely products of my imaginative mind (like the instruments played because I wanted it to be more dramatic and the gold string that is wrapped around their wrists, which is inspired by Wiccan handfasting).

3) Not beta'ed, so please excuse all mistakes. I did my best to proofread and edit but chances are I missed a lot of errors. And I always forget to mention that English isn't my primary language.

4) Lastly, this was written for Love Bingo 2013 challenge, for the bingo square word prompt _**'love binds hearts'**_ and Trope Bingo 2013 (round 2) challenge for the bingo square word prompt _**'fork in the road'**_ . It's boring and nonsensical, I warn ya.

**Summary**: Returning to Konoha is a critical choice Sasuke had to make and staying in the village to build a life and raise a family with Naruto is a chance he chose to take.

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**Disclaimer:** This fan fiction is written for non-profitable purpose and author does not claim copyright for the characters and settings used. Naruto and its characters are created and owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

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**Choices To Make, Chances To Take**

By clover71

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The whole situation with him taking this life-changing step is making his head spin, and he knows that there's no backing out now. Not that Sasuke has any plans of changing his mind. He certainly doesn't have any second thoughts whatsoever. This is what he wants but that doesn't make him any less nervous.

It seems like it was just yesterday when he found himself staring at the main gate of Konoha from a distance with his half-conscious brother hanging on one arm. It was probably one of the toughest choices he had to make – climacteric in so many ways – and Sasuke had to swallow an immense amount of pride just to seek help in saving Itachi's life.

The decision to return to Konoha almost four years ago wasn't made impulsively. He had spent five days wandering around, hoping to find an alternative way to rid of the ailment that was slowly claiming his brother's remaining strength. But in the end, his feet had led him back to the place that once was – and now is – his home.

It doesn't end there. It doesn't. Since his return, there have been drastic changes in his life. His friendship with Naruto had been rekindled and had grown into something he had never foreseen. And this led him to another fork in the road – a decision he hadn't taken lightly and right now, he's glad that he had chosen to stay back then, to explore the foreign feelings that he'd been harboring for his ever-so-optimistic friend.

The third time he found himself standing in another intersection of his life was what led him to where he is today, pacing around the room and feeling like a part of him wants to jump out of his skin. It's crazy, in his opinion, because he's not weak and he shouldn't be acting like he's about to be hanged at the gallows.

Remembering what Sakura had once said distracts him for a moment and he sinks into a cushioned chair.

"It has always been Sasuke and Naruto," were her exact words when she proposed a toast during the small gathering that she and Ino had organized at Yakiniku Q five months ago – an engagement party for him and Naruto or some shit like that. "They're like the sun and moon, ice and fire, light and dark. One cannot be complete without the other. Everyone knew that all along. Except Sasuke and Naruto themselves."

There's a ring of truth to it, despite him disagreeing with Sakura's analogy (because the sun and moon only cross paths for a brief moment; ice and fire can never mix; light and dark – he's not even going to try to explain it). Both he and Naruto had been oblivious about how one felt for the other at the beginning, but the red string of fate – or at least that's what he thinks Sakura calls it – had done its job and now he's here.

The cracking sounds of the hyōshigi[1] – slow recurring beats that gradually increase in pace – warns him that the ceremony is about to begin. Then comes the strident clangor of the kane[2], thick, rich melody floating through the tiny crack of the partially open door and into the small room where Sasuke is waiting.

_This is actually happening,_ he thinks, rubbing his sweaty palms against the silk fabric of his hakama[3]. He leaps out of his chair and walks over to the mirror to stare at his reflection. He runs his hand down the front of his black kimono, smoothening non-existent creases. It's a fine piece of clothing in his opinion, with gold embroidery of a dragon down one side of the customized haori[4] and swirl_y_ patterns on both sleeves, the Uchiha crest prominent at the back. But right now, he's far from admiring his outfit. His mind is focused on the occasion, on what is about to occur.

"Relax, otouto," Itachi says with a light chuckle. "You look worse than you did before you had to go through your coming of age rite with father."

That is not the memory Sasuke needs right now. He shouldn't be thinking of his past.

Half his life, he has kept a one-track mind focusing solely on vengeance. He'd been consumed by abhorrence and had been drowning in an ocean of darkness. His heart had been devoid of emotions other than hate. But one person had always kept his head above the water, the only one who has been his light and has given him a tiny flicker of hope that he can reconstruct his life.

That said person is in another room down the hall and he wonders if _he_ is just as rattled as Sasuke is right now.

"I'm fine," Sasuke lies because he's anything but.

The door moves to reveal Kakashi in a navy blue Kimono similar to what Itachi is wearing. "You ready?"

Sasuke doesn't say a word. He just glides out of the room, the clacking noise his geta[5] makes against the wooden floor echoing through the corridor. Some of his friends, or more like Naruto's friends, are waiting in line outside. Naka Shrine hasn't been this crowded for a long time. Most of the villagers hold weddings elsewhere.

Shrine maidens lead them across the courtyard where Sakura trees are in full bloom. The hollow tremble of several taiko[6] resonates from the ceremony hall where they're heading. The beating stops the moment Sasuke crosses the threshold. From the opposite side comes Naruto, in a matching kimono though his haori is more of dark gray in shade with silver asymmetric patterns etched in the fabric.

There's a blinding glow that shrouds Naruto's face, his smile more heartwarming than ever. His eyes hold a depth of bliss that coaxes… something to blossom in Sasuke's chest. There's a name for it, the emotion no longer foreign to him. It's the same feeling that has led them to this day, the intense feeling that has helped Sasuke finally come to terms with how he wants to live the rest of his life and with whom he wants to spend it with.

The enchanting trill from a flute spirals across the room while he and Naruto take slow, calculated strides towards the end of the aisle where a Shinto priest is waiting.

Sasuke doesn't pay heed to the people around him. His eyes are on Naruto alone, ears barely picking up the high-pitched babbling of their daughter behind them.

Then the ceremony begins.

The Shinto priest seeks blessing and protection from the deities for everyone gathered in the hall then he wraps a gold string around their arms and wrists, binding them together. "This is a symbol of your bond, your link as you begin your journey to a new life as a couple," the priest says then he begins to chant a prayer.

After the shrine maidens offer a sacred dance to celebrate their union, Sasuke and Naruto alternately take a sip of sake from the nuptial cup three times before Sasuke is asked to read his seiyaku[7] . He chooses to read the traditional one because the vow he has spent sleepless nights writing is only meant for Naruto to hear and not be read in front of everyone else. So he expresses his lifetime promise to cherish Naruto, to build a life with him, to be by his side at all cost, and all this he utters in front of witnesses.

To his surprise, Naruto unfolds a small scroll, which undoubtedly suggests that he has prepared his own vows. "Sasuke," he starts with a slight quiver in his voice but it's enough to set off an ambiance that makes it seem like they are the only ones in the ceremony hall. "I have only my heart, my soul, and my life to offer you." He reads on then his deep blue eyes snap up to meet Sasuke's gaze when he continues. "I vow to protect you, to bear the burden of your pain and your hate should it cloud over you once more, to be your light when you stumble in the dark, to be by your side in sickness and in health, to give you strength in times of weakness, to be your guiding hand if ever you lose your way. This I promise for as long as I live."

Sasuke does hold on to that promise but barely a year later, he succumbs to the paralyzing fear that the _'as long as I live'_ part of Naruto's vow is about to bear its bitter fruit.

On a rare occasion, Sasuke comes home early after going through tons of paper work at the headquarters. He's having tea with Itachi while watching Tamiko play with her colorful blocks on the floor when a mordant feeling strikes him and starts clawing at his heart. He almost drops his tea cup has it not been for his quick reflexes. Then Izumo shows up and within a split second, Sasuke finds himself tearing through the roofs of the houses clustered in the Eastern part of Konoha with the brown-haired chuunin's words still ringing in his ears.

_Naruto had just arrived with his team. And I can't tell exactly what's wrong but they rushed him to the hospital._

The first thing he senses when he steps into the hospital lobby is Naruto's chakra – somehow unstable and erratic and weak and this confuses him like hell. Nonetheless, he uses the chakra signature as a beacon until he catches a glimpse of Tsunade, Sakura and a couple of white-clad medic-nin rushing down the hallway.

Trailing after them, Sasuke ends up bursting into the room where Naruto is. Seeing his husband motionless on the bed makes Sasuke's stomach drop and his blood run cold. "What happened?" springs out of his mouth, causing all heads to turn to where he's standing.

"Not now, Sasuke," Tsunade barks and the next thing he knows is he's being ushered out into the hallway.

A gloved hand lands on his shoulder and he swivels around to face Kakashi, his former sensei's expression more unreadable than ever behind that stupid mask.

"What the fuck happened, Kakashi?" Sasuke says through clenched teeth, his patience growing thin by the second.

"I haven't had a chance to find out. We got separated," Kakashi explains. "Sai and I headed off to the eastern part of the enemy's hideout while Naruto and Tenzou headed to the northern part. We found both of them unconscious and injured. I couldn't ask either of them and right now, Tenzou— uh, that's Yamato to you, like Naruto, is still being treated as we speak."

"I find it hard to believe that Naruto had his guard down, regardless of the fact that he's an idiot by nature. Wasn't he cloaked in Kurama's chakra? Or wasn't he in his sage form at least?"

Wordless seconds follow as if Kakashi is contemplating before he speaks again. "Naruto knew using Kurama's chakra may make our presence known, but I was certain he went into his sage mode before splitting up. Like I said, I have no information yet. I'll let you know as soon as I find out."

Sasuke drops down on the wooden bench conveniently located right outside Naruto's room. It may be the most uncomfortable seat in the vicinity but right now, Sasuke doesn't give a shit. "I don't have the patience for this."

Kakashi remains on his feet, gazing down at Sasuke with a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. But all we can do now is wait."

Three hours. It takes three _fucking_ hours before Tsunade is able to declare that Naruto is out of danger.

Sasuke learns that both Naruto and Yamato were hit by poisoned senbon, the kind of poison that suppresses chakra flow. And for reasons that Tsunade has yet to discover, it also managed to suppress the nine-tail's chakra. "I'm presuming Naruto has gone out of his sage mode prior to the ambush," she adds. All these have resulted to having both Yamato and Naruto vulnerable to other attacks.

"Kurama did all the work once we were able to extract the poison, pouring necessary amount of chakra to heal Naruto's wounds. Luckily no vital spots suffered any injury," Tsunade tells him and Sasuke makes a mental note to thank the kyuubi personally. Naruto may hate it because he has made Sasuke promise not to use his sharingan to invade Naruto's subconscious plane. But gratitude is in order.

Naruto regains consciousness the next morning.

"You scared the shit out of me," is the first thing Sasuke says the moment Naruto opens his eyes, his hand keeping a loose grip on Naruto's.

"Where's Tami-chan?" Naruto croaks making him sound like he's underwater.

"With Itachi. She's been asking for you." The mere thought of Tamiko calling out for her mama every night since Naruto left for that accursed mission makes Sasuke's heart ache. He shouldn't have let his husband leave, but he knew then – still knows now – that there's just no way he can hold Naruto back.

"I miss her. But I don't want her to see me like this." Naruto shuts his eyes close and takes a deep breath. "You must think I'm pathetic, being hit by those blasted poisoned things."

The corners of Sasuke's mouth twitches but he doesn't let the smile slide onto his lips, just remains deadpan when he says, "Yes, I do." He lifts Naruto's hand and brushes his lips against Naruto's knuckles. "But I love you just the same."

"Bastard," slips past Naruto's lips in an almost whisper, a small smile forming.

Sasuke reaches out and strokes Naruto's cheek with the back of his fingers, thumb tracing the whisker-like marks. The weight of his earlier fear and worry seeps out of his chest, as if he himself has just been purged of poison. "I thought I lost you." It's a feeling that Sasuke never, never wants to experience again.

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=0=0=

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Thanks to the miracle that is Kurama, it takes only three days for Naruto to fully recuperate and he's back on his feet in no time, to Sasuke's dismay.

In less than two weeks, Naruto is back to accepting B-rank missions. B-rank! Sasuke fights the urge to start pulling out his hair. He practically begs Tsunade to _please_ make Naruto her apprentice if only to keep his spunky husband within the village for longer periods.

Then Naruto comes home one day with a broken arm and fractured ribs. Sasuke almost loses it.

"If you have a death wish, why don't we just get a divorce and give me sole custody of Tamiko?" he tells Naruto, his eyes trained on the pot of curry that he's stirring because seeing that stupid cast on Naruto's left forearm makes Sasuke want to throw things around the kitchen. "With you being reckless, I might end up being a single parent anyway."

The lack of acerbity in Sasuke's tone may have given him away because Naruto laughs – sharp, hearty sounds rumbling out of his chest – and laughs some more, the gleam in his cerulean eyes hints that he knows Sasuke isn't serious.

"You're such a bastard, you know," Naruto spits out then slaps a hand over his mouth. He cranes his neck, obviously taking a peek at the living room where their three-year-old daughter is busy drawing.

"Swear jar." Sasuke jabs a thumb to point at the clear container sitting on the top kitchen shelf. They have an agreement that they both should avoid uttering swear words around Tamiko, or any word considered improper for their child to hear and, more importantly, to learn. If they break that rule, a coin goes into the jar.

"I don't think she heard me," is Naruto's poor excuse but Sasuke holds his gaze with a _don't-start-with-me_ look. "Alright, alright." He shoves his hand in his pant pocket and pulls out his preposterous toad-shaped wallet, takes a coin then drops it in the jar.

Sasuke basks in self-satisfaction, the corners of his mouth curling up. "Look at the bright side. Once that thing is half full, which, at the rate your mouth is going, won't be long, then you'll be able to buy a new coin purse."

A scandalized look crosses Naruto's face. He holds the green wallet close to his chest and hollers, "I am never replacing Gama-chan! Get that? Never!"

"Hn. You are such a child, sometimes," Sasuke says, the words, though meant to ridicule, are softened with affection.

The skin between Naruto's eyebrows creases. "You know? If it isn't for Itachi's odd attachment to his favorite teacup, I'd say the lack of sentimentality is a note-worthy Uchiha trait."

Sasuke scoffs at the absurdity of Naruto's assertion. "Make yourself useful and set the table, will ya?"

"Seriously? Are we playing the dominant-submissive role now?" Naruto mocks but he grabs the plates and chopsticks anyway. "I thought we're equal in this marriage."

Sasuke finds the need to point out, "I cooked, remember?" even though he knows it's an illogical argument. But that's how Naruto is, draws him into childish discussions until he realizes they're both being stupid and Sasuke will just laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

Then he'll feel lighter, like he does now, the weight of the apprehension gnawing in his chest gone. All that's left is this incredible emotion he can only compare to the warmth of the sun that sings against his skin in the early morning.

And then there's this person standing before him that makes him think he can soar through the skies and run across the seas. Now Sasuke remembers… remembers why he has chosen this life that binds him to this individual – the sun to his moon, the ice to his fire (though if he were to be technical, it's more like the wind to his fire), the light to his dark – and _shit._ Maybe Sakura's analogy does make sense after all.

Everything – all his thoughts and feelings – narrows down in one focal point and Sasuke acts on it, grabs Naruto by the waist and captures Naruto's mouth with his. The gentle pressure he adds to the kiss speaks of how he treasures Naruto. He prods his tongue through Naruto's lips, swirling against Naruto's own as Sasuke's silent way of pleading for Naruto to stay with him. Always, if not forever.

When they part, he punctuates his actions with words that best express how he feels. "I love you," he says, resting his forehead on Naruto's shoulder while he clings on Naruto, breathing in that musky scent that's so Naruto.

That moment, when they're trapped in a bubble – a world of their own – gets broken when they hear Tamiko say, "Mama, Papa. I'm hungry."

Once they are all settled around the table, Tamiko is the one to announce, "Thank you for the food!" before they all dig in. The banter between Naruto and Tamiko makes lunch time draw longer than necessary but Sasuke doesn't mind. With him doing tasks that require him to travel lately and with Naruto being away on missions quite often, having meals together has become a rare occurrence.

This is a nice change. Unfortunately, things like this – ones that are too good to be true – doesn't last long.

If Sasuke has been grateful for the kyuubi's healing power once upon a time, he's cursing it now because as soon as Naruto recovers a week later, he resumes accepting missions. Not the type that will potentially endanger his life, just simple escort tasks. But then again, no one will be able to tell what he'll encounter along the way.

When Naruto goes to Suna with Sai and two others to bring a rogue ninja from that village that someone's team – Sasuke could care less who – has recently captured, Sasuke goes through an irrational paranoia for a week.

Then the paranoia eventually evolves into full force trepidation. He receives a bird message from Naruto saying he's on his way home – alone, because the other squad members have another mission – and five days roll by with no signs of Naruto.

Sasuke has to go through an exhausting debate with Tsunade, even stoops so low to kiss her ass – figuratively, of course – just so he'll be given permission to go look for his husband – the mother of his child.

Two weeks and still no Naruto. Sasuke borders on wanting to set the village on fire. But then there's his daughter. And Itachi. So rationality sets in and he hates it.

"Papa?" Too caught up in his musing, he doesn't even notice his daughter standing right at the doorway of his study. _Damn it._ Were she an enemy shinobi, Sasuke would have been caught off guard.

"Tami-chan, what are you doing out of bed?" Sasuke's eyes drift over to the clock on the wall. It's past ten in the evening.

"I miss, Mama. When is he coming home?" The expression framing her face stabs at Sasuke's heart.

Sharp fragments of pain course through his chest. And he silently curses the Hokage – for sending Naruto on this supposedly worry-free mission, silently curses Naruto – for heading out on his own when he knows well that the Akatsuki, regardless of how small they are in number, is still out there with him as a target, silently curses himself – for being such a useless shinobi who can't even find his husband.

Sasuke holds out his arms, says, "Come here," and hauls his daughter up on his lap. He brushes his fingers through her long, dark red hair. "I miss him too. But he'll be back soon before you know it, princess." It's not a lie, or something he finds necessary to make up just so she will stop fretting. It's faith and Sasuke believes with all his heart that Naruto will come back safe and unharmed. Because he's Naruto.

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=0=0=

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Sasuke goes back to the village after another futile search for his husband. It's been two _fucking_ weeks and approximately three days since Naruto disappeared. He heads straight home instead of dropping by the Hokage's office thinking that he'll just hand in his report tomorrow.

"Sasuke!" Sakura comes bounding over to him. "Tsunade-sama wants to see you in her office immediately."

"I just got back," he says as if that is a viable excuse. But Sakura's lips are set on a thin line, which means there is no room for argument, so Sasuke grumbles and makes his way to the Hokage tower.

The sight that greets him as soon as he steps into the oval office makes his heart stop. For a second. Then all sorts of emotions blend in a single swoop. Confusion rises among the others: relief, incredulity, anger, and some he has no name for but just makes his blood rush like cold water through his veins and his viscera roil like lava.

"What? No welcome-home hug, Sasuke?" The gruff, mid-level pitch of Naruto's voice snaps Sasuke out of his stupor.

His sharingan seems to activate on its own, scanning Naruto's body – first, to determine if it is indeed Naruto standing before him and not some enemy on a henge. And once he's certain that it is indeed his idiot of a husband, he scrutinizes him for any injury or abnormality in his chakra. There is none. Naruto looks unharmed, not even a scratch or a bruise – even in his personality.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Sasuke spits out, seething, eyes burning with rage. He's trapped between wanting to gather Naruto in his arms and hold him like he'll never let him go and wanting to swing his fist across Naruto's face to wipe that stupid grin off his face then maybe wring his neck for good measure because Sasuke is just so pissed.

Naruto raises his arms, palms facing Sasuke. "Woah, settle down, honey. No need to use the sharingan. It's me."

"I know it's you, idiot. Where the fuck have you been all this time?"

"Maybe I can explain," Tsunade interjects. Her face doesn't reflect any sign that she's as surprised or as confused as Sasuke is. "I couldn't tell you before because it was a highly confidential mission and only a handful knew. So don't blame Naruto since he was only acting on orders."

Later, Sasuke concludes that _that_ is merely the prelude to the lengthy story about Naruto's mission to investigate the rumored hideout of Kabuto. He's been surveying three isolated towns near the western border of the Land of Rivers, on a henge, disguised as a civilian with his chakra cloaked.

"I did see you, but I couldn't give myself away," Naruto explains. Apparently, Sasuke's appearance four days ago has alerted Kabuto. Before the squad of ANBU and jounin that Tsunade has dispatched arrived at the scene, Kabuto and his handful of followers has managed to flee.

"Are you saying it's my fault?" Sasuke fixes both Naruto and Tsunade with an incredulous glare.

"Um," Naruto rubs the back of his neck, his grin turning sheepish. "Kind of?"

When Tsunade says, "I did tell you to stay put," like a poorly disguised _I-told-you-so_, Sasuke's patience snaps.

"How the hell was I supposed to know when you kept me in the dark, dreading what could have happened to my husband?" Sasuke can feel all his blood rising to the top of his head. "Did you seriously expect me to sit around and do nothing?"

Tsunade's lips part but before a single word escapes, Sasuke storms out of the room. He has just lost that bit of sanity left to understand any of her reasoning. If he stays a minute longer, he'll no doubt lash out. His chidori is already sparkling on his fingertips. He makes the training ground his destination, hoping that it's void of any shinobi at the moment.

Once certain that no one's around, Sasuke pours all of his frustration and fury on the grass-covered expanse.

When he finally heads back, he feels a lot better. He arrives to an empty house. Presuming that Naruto is still at the Hokage Tower or maybe he's gone to fetch Tamiko from Iruka and Kakashi's place, Sasuke decides to steal a nap.

His legs seize to move the moment he steps into their bedroom, gaze falling on Naruto's form where he's sprawled on the bed. Naked as the day he was born. His eyes are hooded, tongue peeking out of his slightly parted lips. "About time," he says in a low, spine-tingling growl. His hand makes a slow journey from his chest, down his amazingly flat abs that bears no sign of his previous pregnancy and ends up curling around his erection. Then he starts stroking his cock, his lower lip wedged between his teeth.

_What. The. Fuck._

Color him surprise but can Sasuke be blamed when it seems like an era since Naruto has subjected him in such a lewd, seductive display? If this is Naruto's way of apologizing or placating Sasuke, then _hell yeah_, it's working.

Without preamble, Sasuke practically tears his clothes off and climbs on the bed like a predator about to pounce his prey. Before he even latches his mouth on any spot of his husband's exposed skin, Sasuke remembers to ask, "Where's Tami-chan?"

"With Itachi. I asked him to pick her up from Iruka's, told him we need to… talk," Naruto says in that skin-tingling, breathy tone that makes Sasuke's cock twitch.

"Good." Sasuke purposely breathes against Naruto's ear. "I'm planning to make you scream tonight, punish you for making me worry. And that's definitely something I don't want our daughter to hear."

The night echoes with the sounds of rough, unadulterated raw sex. Naruto is on his hands and knees and Sasuke's thrusting inside him, pounding like a crazed animal.

It's after their third – or is it fourth? – round that things mellow down and they both settle to passionate love-making.

The clock shows it's past midnight and Sasuke's lying flat on his back with Naruto's head on his shoulder, calloused fingers tracing patterns on Sasuke's chest.

"I'm sorry about not letting you in on my latest mission," Naruto says then his cool lips touch Sasuke's still heated skin.

Sasuke rubs Naruto's arm, his fingers sliding against the hard muscles. "It's okay." Regardless of his earlier tantrums, Sasuke can understand the need to keep some things confidential. He's had missions that Naruto knows nothing about, like when he was sent to kill Danzo some ages ago. Naruto has been kept in the dark as well and when he found out about it months later, he was quick to forgive Sasuke for not telling him. "Just let me know if you have plans of disappearing for more than a week next time."

"I promise."

Silence sizzles around the room, a blanket of tranquility enveloping them until Naruto speaks once more.

"I've been wondering," he says, lifting his head, blue eyes boring into Sasuke's dark ones. "I don't know if you'll like the idea, but I was thinking of having another baby." The very thought of having Naruto pregnant again makes Sasuke's pulse skip. In a good way. "I mean Tamiko is more than three and a half now," Naruto babbles on. "And she's been asking if she can have a baby brother or baby sis—"

Sasuke smashes his mouth against Naruto's, swallowing the rest of Naruto's words. For some strange reason, he finds the image of another baby in his arms appealing and seeing that Naruto is willing to go through another pregnancy alleviates his problems of trying to keep Naruto from leaving the village.

"I think that's a perfect idea," he says, his lips descending on Naruto's once more, moving in a slow, sensual dance that seals both their fates.

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=0=0=

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"Well?" Sasuke springs up from the couch where he's been forced to stay for the past half hour. The waiting lounge isn't exactly the most comfortable place to be in the hospital, especially when he's eagerly waiting for Naruto to come out of the examination room.

For three days now, Naruto has been complaining of fatigue and dizzy spells and he's nauseous half the time. Though the symptoms are familiar, Sasuke doesn't want to jump to conclusions so he's been nagging his husband to see either Sakura or Tsunade. This is the third time they've done this and the previous instances have given them nothing but false hopes. They've been trying to conceive for the past four months, _damn it!_

A shit-eating grin takes shape on Naruto's lips. "We're having another baby!"

Sasuke does his best to tame his excitement, thus, he only responds with a soft smile and a quick peck on Naruto's lips. "So…" He guides his husband out into the hallway. "Shall we pick up Tamiko from Kurenai's so we can all celebrate with several bowls of ramen?"

Naruto pales the moment Sasuke says 'ramen' then he gags, throws a hand over his mouth and rushes into the nearby bathroom.

_Here we go again,_ is the thought that seeps into Sasuke's mind. But he wouldn't have it any other way.

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_thank you for reading – clover71... and hehe, beware, there will be more  
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_**References**_**  
**1 - Hyōshigi: _a simple Japanese musical instrument, consisting of two pieces of hardwood or bamboo that are connected by a thin ornamental rope_  
2 - Kane: _a dish-shaped bell used in Buddhism or Shinto ceremonies like a gong_  
3 - Hakama: _a type of traditional Japanese clothing worn over a kimono_  
4 - Haori: _this type of outfit is mostly worn for very formal occasions, most commonly by the bridegroom during his wedding ceremony_  
5 - Geta: _traditional Japanese footwear that resemble both clogs and flip-flops_  
6 - Taiko: _means "drum" in Japanese_  
7 - Seiyaku = wedding vows

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	2. Cake, Flowers and Make-up Sex

This second installment of _'Treasured Moments'_ focuses on Kakashi and Iruka, but SasuNaru remains in the background. Still follows right after _'Precious Moments'_ with a huge time skip from the first sequence, _'Choices to Make, Chances to Take'_ and this one is written for Love Bingo 2013 challenge for the bingo square prompt _**'lovers' quarrel'**_.

Also, I did my best to proofread and edit, but I may have missed a lot of errors, so please do ignore them.

**Summary**: It all starts with a misconception that Kakashi has kissed someone else – a woman – and his marriage with Iruka starts to go downhill.

**Disclaimer:** This fan fiction is written for non-profitable purpose and author does not claim copyright for the characters and settings used. Naruto and its characters are created and owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

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**Cake, Flowers and Make-up Sex**  
by clover 71

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A blur of blue and white flies straight to his face and Kakashi ducks on impulse, just in time for the projectile to soar past above his head. An ear-piercing crash follows, prompting Kakashi to look over his shoulder.

Shards of what was once a vase – maybe? – litter the floor. His eyes snap back to his attacker only to meet his husband's fiery gaze.

"Babe," he says gently and softly as if afraid that if he speaks any louder, Iruka is going to explode. "What's wrong? What's going on?"

"Why don't you tell me what's going on, Kakashi?" Iruka spits out, arms crossed over his chest and still looking at Kakashi as if he's ready to skin him alive.

Kakashi straightens up from his crouched position but doesn't move away from the same spot. "Honestly, Iruka. I can't think of a reason why you would be mad."

A snort escapes through Iruka's nose, his chin tilted up. "Who is she?" he asks with distinguishable venom in his tone that somehow causes a chill to run down Kakashi's spine.

"Who is who?" Kakashi has no clue what Iruka is onto.

Iruka's nose flares up and he looks a bit scary at the moment. Kakashi is not one to easily get scared, but dealing with his enraged, not to mention hormonal, husband is enough to make him recoil. "Don't pretend to be ignorant, Kakashi. I saw you earlier. With that woman. You were kissing her!"

_Oh. That._ The earlier scene with the woman he only knows as Mariko flashes in his mind.

"Iruka. Honey. I was only trying to gather some intel from this woman whom Tsunade thinks is a spy," is Kakashi's brash attempt to explain what happened. "And I don't remember kissing her. I was pushed into her. By your students!"

Iruka's eyes widen, arms falling to his sides. "Did you just raise your voice at me?"

"You raised your voice first!" is Kakashi's rebuttal, which, he realizes belatedly, is borderline absurd and immature.

Yelling apparently isn't a good idea because their four-year-old son starts crying from the top step of the stairs, begging them to stop fighting. The slight shift in the momentum gives Iruka a chance to land a punch on his visible eye and throw him out of the house – literally, might he add – and he lands on his butt, which is quite embarrassing for a jounin like him, _damn it!_

If that isn't enough to make Kakashi look like a pathetic loser, ending up knocking on Naruto and Sasuke's door thirty minutes later proves it.

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=0=0=

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There are two ways Kakashi can explain why he's sporting a nasty black eye and why he's sulking in the Uzumaki-Uchiha couch. One is that he can spit out a lie, make up some fundamental excuse that he'd had a sparring accident – with Gai perhaps – and can claim that he was a bit distracted.

But. Naruto doesn't buy it. He just looks at Kakashi skeptically, eyes narrowing when he says, "Kakashi-sensei. You never get distracted."

That's not true. But then again, the kid's getting smarter. Must be the Uchiha rubbing off on him. Not that kind of rubbing, of course. Kakashi _so_ doesn't need _that_ image in his head right now. Not when… not when…

"Now, Kakashi. Are you going to tell us why Iruka threw you out of the house?" The smart-ass tone Sasuke uses is hard to miss, making Kakashi feel like he's cornered.

So much for lying. He's not surprised that his former students can see through his deceit and have a hunch as to what has happened. They're quick to catch on. So he goes for the second option: tell the truth.

"Well…" Kakashi scratches the side of his face, almost tempted to remove his mask. "He sort of caught me kissing a woman." At Naruto's appalled expression, Kakashi quickly blurts out, "But I didn't kiss her. Honest. I just…"

It's like a déjà vu, actually, similar to an incident years ago with then twelve-year-olds Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. He doesn't remember the woman's name – Hanare or something, he thinks – but she was suspected to be a spy so they had him talking to her, hoping to get some intel. She did turn out to be what they thought in the end.

What he was trying to do earlier with Mariko was similar. Tsunade doesn't trust her but she thinks having Inoichi probe her mind will be unwise so she had sent Kakashi to try and coax some information out of her. Thus, the meeting at the park that afternoon. Everything was going well until this group of kids from Iruka's class bumped into him from behind. But he didn't kiss her! Their faces may have been centimeters apart but their lips never met.

Naruto has his arms crossed, moves his head in a single nod and says, "Right. I believe you," his words leaking with sarcasm.

"It's true," Kakashi points out almost desperately. Almost. "It's not that I'd cheat on Iruka. I think the only reason he's taking it in an irrational way is because of that damn changes in hormones you lot go through during pregnancy."

Naruto's eyes grow big in a comical way. "Iruka-sensei's pregnant?"

"Yeah." Kakashi pushes his mask down and runs his hand over his face. "Two months. We just found out a week and a half ago. He was rather late showing signs."

After Naruto had his second child, Iruka has succumbed to the yearning of having another little bundle. It's not like Kakashi dislike the idea, but Ichiro alone is already a handful.

Just then, a sharp, demanding wail echoes from the second landing of the house and Naruto springs out of the couch and onto his feet. "That will be Kyouhei telling me it's feeding time. Excuse me." He disappears up the stairs in a blink of an eye then later returns with his five-month-old son. "If you're staying over, Kakashi-sensei, I hope you won't mind the noise. Kyouhei is teething so he's grumpy half the time."

"I don't mind." Kakashi pulls a smile, albeit forced, on his face. "Thanks for letting me stay. I just need to wait until Iruka cools down before I go back home."

"It's all right, Kakashi." Sasuke's hand lands on Kakashi's shoulder. "Feel right at home. I'll go get dinner ready since Naruto has his hands full at the moment."

"Actually, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto settles on the couch beside Kakashi with his son on his lap. "Do you mind holding Kyouhei for a while? I need to fix a bottle of his formula for him."

"Sure." Kakashi holds out his hand to take Kyouhei from Naruto then watches his two former pupils saunter over to the kitchen. Years ago, he never would've imagined these two men ending up being married and raising a family together. But he has watched them both grow closer as feelings unraveled and he's glad to see them both doing well as a couple now.

Tamiko approaches warily and looks up at him with a glimmer in her dark eyes – Sasuke's eyes, definitely but the puppy-dog look she wears is much similar to Naruto's. "Ka-chan?" she says then lifts her hands, two pieces of what was once a doll clutched in her fists. "Can you help me fix this please? Mama's going to give me a time out if she sees this."

"Of course, Tami-chan." He takes the broken toy while balancing a squirming Kyouhei on his lap, pushes the two parts together and gives it back to the four-year-old girl. "Here you go. Don't pull it apart again, okay?"

A bright smile – Naruto's smile, no doubt – nearly splits her face. "Thanks, Kaka-chan. But I didn't pull it apart. Ichiro did. He took it from me at the playground earlier."

Kakashi blinks dumbfounded, feeling like he's been doused with a bucketful of cold water. "Why did he do that?" He suddenly has this hyperbolic imagination of how his son took the doll from Tamiko and tore the limbs apart like a crazed maniac with a grin on his face and his eyes gleaming with evil intent. The vision sends an unnerving chill crawling underneath his skin.

Tamiko shrugs. "I don't know." Tears start to gather in her eyes and Kakashi reaches out and swipes his thumb just above her cheekbone to stop a teardrop from falling.

"Don't worry, Tami-chan. I'll talk to Ichiro tomorrow and give him a good scolding, okay?"

The little girl nods and quickly wipes the rest of her tears away with the back of her hand when Naruto comes ambling from the kitchen with a baby bottle in hand.

"Thanks for watching Kyou-chan, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto says, relieving Kakashi of the wiggling baby. Seeing Naruto act around his children is like watching a movie with the blonde shinobi playing a different role. Sometimes Kakashi still thinks it's rather uncharacteristic for Naruto to act all mature, like how he tells Tamiko now to wash up for dinner and how he settles beside Kakashi with Kyouhei cradled in his arms. But Naruto has his moments. There are still times that the unpredictable knucklehead ninja in him surfaces.

"It's no problem," Kakashi says, his eye trained on Kyouhei who seems keen on sucking milk from his bottle.

"So." Naruto's bright blue eyes peer up at him with obvious concern and curiosity. "How are you going to deal with Iruka-sensei tomorrow?"

_Right. How?_ If he were to be honest, he's clueless at the moment. They've had fights before but trying to confront a tenacious Iruka may need a different approach. "I don't have any idea right now. Usually when we fight, I just apologize and we end up having make-up sex afterwards."

Naruto sniggers. "I don't doubt that." He shifts slightly on the couch, causing Kyouhei to whimper. "Why not bring him something he likes. Sasuke always brings me ramen from Ichiraku or sometimes he brings me sweets, like a box of cake whenever he wants to apologize after a senseless fight."

_A box of cake. Not a bad idea._ Kakashi does his best to pull a smile on his lips. "I think I'll do just that. Thanks, Naruto./i

"My pleasure, Sensei."

After dinner, Kakashi helps Sasuke clear the kitchen while Naruto gives Tamiko a bath. And later that night, as Kakashi settles in the guest room thinking of ways to approach Iruka the next day, he hears Kyouhei's wretched cries like he's been given the whole world to carry on his shoulders. He can hear both Naruto and Sasuke trying to console poor Kyouhei, can hear Sasuke's softened voice singing but that doesn't seem to work.

This reminds Kakashi of the time Ichiro went through his teething phase. It was a nightmare for him and Iruka. The sleepless nights were too many to count.

If only he can help in some way, but Iruka is the expert in dealing with babies packed with issues such as Kyouhei right now.

_Iruka._

Oh, how he wish Iruka will give him a chance to explain tomorrow.

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=0=0=

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Kakashi holds the box of cake in one hand while he turns the knob of his front door with the other, whispering a prayer that Naruto's suggestion will do the trick.

The first thing he hears is Ichiro's voice, babbling nonsensical things which can only mean that he's playing one of his pretend games. Then he finds his son in their kitchen with, to his surprise, Sakura who is in the process of handing Ichiro a glass of milk.

Sakura's head snap up when Kakashi crosses the threshold. "Oh, hey, Kakashi-sensei," she says, her gaze falling on the box in Kakashi's hand. "Iruka-sensei has left to see Lady Tsunade for his check up so I'm here to watch Ichiro for him."

"I see." Kakashi is partly disappointed and partly relieved. Disappointed because he's expecting to see Iruka at home since he knows that his husband is on leave from work for the week and relieved because… well, he's not quite ready to face a possibly still fuming Iruka just yet.

"I'm also supposed to bring Ichiro to school afterwards. But since you're here…" A look that suggests Sakura is hoping Kakashi will relieve her of her duty crosses her face.

"It's okay, Sakura. I'll take him." That will also give Kakashi a chance to talk to Ichiro about the doll incident with Tamiko.

"Thanks, sensei. I'll take my leave now." She ruffles Ichiro's silver hair, says, "See you later, Ichi-chan," then she dashes out of the house.

"Dad, is that a cake," Ichiro asks, pointing at the box that Kakashi has placed on the kitchen table.

"Yes, Ichi-chan. But this is for Mom." Kakashi chuckles when Ichiro thrusts his lips out in a pout. "You can have a slice when you get back from school. Now hurry up. You don't want to be late."

While walking along the block, Kakashi decides that now is the good time to ask his son. "Ichi-chan. Why did you break Tamiko's doll while at the playground yesterday?"

Ichiro displays a hint of guilt for a brief moment then a stubborn mask falls in its place. "I asked her to play with me at the swings but noooo… she wants to play that stupid doll with Ayumi and Umiko instead."

If memory serves him right, Ayumi and Umiko are Kotetsu and Izumo's twin daughters. Kakashi sighs. "Ichiro. You should understand that sometimes, girls prefer to play with each other since they know games boys won't be able to understand."

With his hands on his hips and eyebrows drawn tight together, Ichiro declares, "Well, I think girls are stupid," then stomps all the way to the pre-Academy.

With Ichiro at school, Kakashi thinks the privacy will do him and Iruka some good.

He thought wrong.

As soon as Iruka arrives, Kakashi barely gets a word out before the cake – with its strawberry toppings and strawberry cream icing – ends up smashed against Kakashi's face.

"I don't want to hear a word from you, Kakashi," Iruka says in a way that will make even the most ruthless shinobi scamper away in fear.

"But Iruka. If you'll let me explain—"

The door slams against Kakashi's face, leaving him stunned and lost.

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=0=0=

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"You should've brought flowers instead," Tsunade says after hearing Kakashi's predicament.

"Don't flowers work only for women?" Kakashi asks, feeling rather dumb that he – the copy ninja who has faced the likes of Zabuza and most, if not all, formidable members of the Akatsuki – cannot even confront his pregnant husband without being dismissed prematurely or, in an elementary manner of speaking, being thrown out of the house before he can say anything.

"That's not entirely true," Kurenai says. She and Kakashi have been called in for a meeting to discuss the security measures they need to take for the upcoming chuunin exams. Now that they're done, they settle in for a lighter conversation. "Haven't you heard of the language of flowers? Each kind carries different meanings. So it's a good way to express your thoughts and feelings, you know."

"Really?"

Following both women's advice, Kakashi drops by the Yamanaka flower shop and with Ino's help, he leaves fifteen minutes later with a bouquet in hand. He marches down the streets of Konoha with a confident gait but that confidence diminishes as soon as he steps inside their house.

Iruka is on the couch, reading a book. He lifts his head the moment Kakashi glides through the door, his dark brown eyes boring holes on Kakashi.

"Hey honey," Kakashi says steadily with a few drops of hopefulness and a dash of remorse, glazed with a generous amount of affection. When he gets no reaction from his husband, he takes a step forward, and another, holding out the bouquet as if he's offering his own life.

"Look, Iruka. I need to explain what happened," are the only words that escape Kakashi's mouth before Iruka snatches the flowers from his hands and smacks it right across his face. Kakashi swears he feels a thorn or two piercing through his skin.

Then he's out the door, where he always, _always_ ends up with a kunai landing right beside his foot if only to punctuate that Iruka doesn't want to see him.

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"That. Is. It!" Naruto bellows when Kakashi offers to scrub the kitchen floor. "Look, Sensei. It's not like we don't appreciate all your help. But you're bordering on O-C-D, you know."

It's been three days since Kakashi has started staying at Naruto and Sasuke's place and he thinks the least he can do in return for their hospitality is to shoulder some of the chores. "What's wrong with scrubbing the floor?"

"Sensei!" Naruto's hands close around fistfuls of blond hair. "The floor is squeaky clean. You just polished it this morning. Don't you think you're overdoing things a bit?"

"What exactly am I overdoing?"

Releasing his hair, Naruto drops his arms at his sides and sighs. "The bathroom is oozing with the smell of bleach. The stairs are a bit slippery from all the buffing you did. The—" Naruto's shoulders sag. "Never mind. Kakashi-sensei, don't you think you should try getting back to Iruka-sensei's good graces or something?"

Kakashi cocks one eyebrow up. "Is that your subtle way of asking me to leave?"

Naruto shakes his head with an exaggerated vigor. "No. What I mean is… what I mean is…"

"What Naruto means is if you don't take drastic measures to ease the situation between you and Iruka, a more colossal problem may arise in your marriage," Sasuke says as he strides into the kitchen.

"Thank you, Sasuke." Naruto's eyes slide back to Kakashi. "That's exactly what I mean, Sensei. I know! I'll try to talk to Iruka-sensei first. I'll ask Sakura to help."

Before Kakashi can protest, Naruto has already disappeared, leaving white and gray dusts in his wake.

Kakashi watches Sasuke fill a pot with water, every ounce of skepticism radiating off of his steady gaze. He couldn't help but think that his former students are ganging up on him. "You know, it would have saved Naruto the trouble if you just throw me out."

"It's not that, Kakashi." Sasuke opens the cupboard and grabs two teacups. "Look, we don't mind having you here. But the fact that you've started to personalize our guest room is a tad creepy, you know."

Guilt suddenly prickles his skin and Kakashi feels rather sheepish. "I guess Naruto's right. I should do something about Iruka, maybe force him to listen to me. I just don't understand why he's being so difficult. He's never been like this," he gripes, no longer caring that he's practically pouring his heart out. Let Sasuke think he's acting out-of-character for all he cares.

Sasuke lets out a low, almost hard to hear snort. "I think you're missing the point. Iruka's pregnant, Kakashi. Remember how irrational—well, more irrational than usual—Naruto was when pregnant with Tamiko?"

"He wasn't like this when he was carrying Ichiro."

"Well, Tsunade-sama did say no two pregnancies are alike. Naruto wasn't as emotional and fickle when he was pregnant with Kyouhei," Sasuke reasons out. "Tea?"

"Yes, please."

Sasuke doesn't say anything more about Iruka while having tea. He talks about the Military Police Force instead, about Naruto possibly starting his apprenticeship with Tsunade soon and about his children.

It's almost sundown when Naruto returns. The smile on his face gives Kakashi a bit of optimism. "Well Kakashi-sensei," Naruto starts, throwing an arm around Kakashi's shoulders even though it looks awkward 'cause he's still a lot shorter. "Iruka-sensei has agreed to talk to you and just so you guys won't have any interruptions, I took the liberty of bringing Ichiro to Itachi. He has agreed to look after your son for the night."

That should keep Ichiro in his best behavior. His son is somehow intimidated by Itachi.

"Fine. Let's just hope this works."

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=0=0=

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Iruka has actually prepared dinner, something Kakashi didn't expect. Though Iruka isn't throwing him out like he's been doing for the past three days, the ambiance is a little less than friendly. But Kakashi swallows his uncertainty and joins Iruka at the dinner table.

It's funny how, in such a harmless environment, Kakashi feels like he's about to be persecuted and stoned to death. Dinner is spent mostly in silence, with one-word remarks bouncing off between the two of them to break the ice once in a while.

Once dessert is served, Kakashi decides to dive into the reason why he's there in the first place. "Iruka," he starts only to be silenced with Iruka's finger on his lips.

"If you're going to apologize, Kashi, don't. I think I should be the one to apologize. I… I didn't even give you a chance to explain."

"About that, I—" The rest of Kakashi's words are hindered by Iruka's finger on his lips once more.

"I know the truth, Kakashi. Even before my students and Naruto told me." Iruka lowers his hand to grab Kakashi's, his eyes falling on the embossed surface of the mantle. "I uh… I guess I was just hoping you'd exert more effort in trying to get me to forgive you. That was silly and immature, I know. But you haven't exactly been… um, affectionate lately. And I thought pretending to be mad will help you pull the romantic card."

Kakashi can only stare and if the lower half of his face isn't constrained by his mask, his jaw would've dropped and created a crater on the floor – figuratively, of course. All this for seeking romance? Well, he's certainly going to show Iruka more than affection tonight.

Iruka peers up at him through his dark lashes and says, "Say something," in a pleading tone.

"I guess I'm at fault too." Kakashi grips Iruka's hand and brings them up to his lips. "I've been away too much these past few weeks and always too tired to even spend time with you and Ichiro."

"Not only that." A tinge of distress surfaces on Iruka's dark brown eyes. "When I told you I'm pregnant, you… you became distant somehow."

Kakashi is struck with a searing realization and Iruka's words burn right through his conscious mind. It's true he's been somehow detached lately but it's not like he's doing it on purpose. He has a lot on his mind and to add the thought of raising another child while dealing with Ichiro's mischief has left him in a state worse than being caught in Itachi's tsukuyomi.

"Sorry," he says with the utmost sincerity he can muster.

"I'm sorry too." Iruka raises his other hand to hook a finger on the edge of Kakashi's mask and pushes the material down. His thumb slides across Kakashi's lower lip. "It's embarrassing how Naruto and the others got involved, even went through all the trouble of getting us together."

Iruka's touch is doing things to him, making his lower half stir to life. "Well, let's not waste their effort," Kakashi says, sucking Iruka's thumb into his mouth. "Why don't we skip dessert and jump right into the best part?" He makes sure every word is dripping with innuendo and seeing Iruka wedge his lower lip between his teeth hints that it's working.

Kakashi takes advantage of this, pulls Iruka out of his chair and leads him to the bedroom. They can clean the kitchen later. Right now, he wants to make up for all those times he's been, as Iruka claims, distant.

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_thank you for reading – clover71_

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I will be writing another Naruto fan fic (it will probably be SasuNaruSasu) for another challenge in LiveJournal. I was wondering if anybody will be interested in doing beta for me. If anyone's interested, please send me an email. My email address is in my profile. Please try not to PM me here because I rarely get to check ffnet.

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	3. Finger-painted Walls

This one revolves around SasuNaru and their kids. I had fun writing this, and hope you have fun reading it. This one is written for the Love Bingo challenge, specifically for the bingo square word prompt _**'motherhood'**_.

Oh, and I had to come up with the names for Sasuke and Naruto's 2nd and 3rd children in a whim so I kinda ended up giving them names of the characters/ trainers in Pokémon. :D

**Summary:** Naruto thinks he's been through the worst situation in his shinobi life but none of his training has ever prepared him for the most difficult challenge he has ever faced: motherhood.

**Disclaimer:** This fan fiction is written for non-profitable purpose and author does not claim copyright for the characters and settings used. Naruto and its characters are created and owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

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**Finger-painted Walls**

By clover71

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**moth•er•hood** \m r-h d \ _noun_ **1.** The state of being a mother. **2.** The qualities of a mother.

**moth•er** \`mə-thər\ _noun_ **1.** A (wo)man who has given birth to a child.

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Naruto thinks he has dealt with the worst or most difficult situation: Orochimaru, Akatsuki, Jiraiya's death, hell, even gaining control of Kurama has thrown him for a loop. But this? Not a single slice from his training has ever prepared him for this.

The remaining thread of patience that's holding him together is about to snap. Where is Sasuke when you need him? He's in a mission for the Daimyo, that's where.

"Okay," he says, taking a deep breath and letting the air cleanse any negative feelings that are building up inside him. He counts in his head, _One-one thousand, two-one thousand, three…_, before casting a reproachful gaze at his children. "Whose bright idea was it to fingerpaint on the walls and the floor and the couch and the…" He ends it with a frustrated sigh.

Tamiko has her eyes pinned on the floor, her paint-covered fingers twitching and twisting together. Her shoulder-length red hair falls like a curtain around her face. Kyouhei, on the other hand, meets Naruto's gaze head on, dark orbs reflecting innocence as if he had done nothing wrong and _this_ irks Naruto more.

There's no other choice. Naruto will have to give them The Punishment. He closes his eyes, searching for The Voice deep inside him, one that's stern and in control like Sasuke's whenever he spouts out flinch-worthy reprimands on their children. When he lifts his eyelids, the first thing he sees is the tears pooling on Tamiko's eyes.

Naruto is so not going to let _that_ guilty facade break his resolve. A punishment is in order and that's exactly what he's going to give them. "I want both of you to clean up your mess, make sure no paint remains on any surface then go to you room until I tell you to come out. That means no lunch for the both of you," he spits out, though he's aware that his voice no longer holds The Edge that's necessary to make his kids see he means business.

A sharp pain tears from his side – somewhere in his lateral region – and Naruto almost curses out loud but he manages to hold his tongue, else he'll be dropping coins in the swear jar once more. Another kick lands on the same spot as if the baby growing inside him is defending his or her brother and sister. Naruto rubs the spot where there's a tingling sensation left. _Damn, Sasuke. Come home right this instant!_

Luck has it that the paint Sai has given Kyouhei for his recent birthday is non-toxic and washable that it doesn't need a whole army of jounin to wash them off. Still, he blames Sai for this, for insisting that a child should explore his artistic side at an early age despite Naruto's incessant protest that, "Sai, he's only three!" If only the bastard is around to see the result of his clever idea but _alas,_ he's on a mission with Sasuke. Naruto can't help but think that this is one hell of a prodigious conspiracy.

They're half done cleaning the living room when Tamiko wanders to where Naruto is scrubbing off orange and brown paint that is shaped to look like an abstract impression of Gamakichi on the wall.

"Mama," she says in her little voice that clearly holds remorse. "I'm sorry."

Naruto is so not going to give in. He has to be firm, has to instill discipline as is expected of him. "You should know better, Tami-chan. You're the oldest and you're supposed to know better." That's right. She's seven and she should act like one. When he was seven, he was… Naruto puts an abrupt halt to that thought. If he is to compare how he was when he was Tamiko's age, Tamiko and Kyouhei's mischief combined would pale in comparison to his. Oh, the pranks he pulled. But. Tamiko and Kyouhei don't need to know that. "Just…" he waves a hand gesturing to the other side of the room, "finish up what you're doing and make sure Kyouhei doesn't make a bigger mess."

That's an understatement. He spies his three-year-old son spreading paint on the coffee table, creating rainbow shapes on the surface. His cheeks are covered with finger-shaped blotches of red and blue and green and yellow. The tips of his dark hair are highlighted with the same vibrant colors. The royal blue shirt he's wearing is no longer plain but printed with long thin strokes that are clear proof that the boy has wiped his hands on the cotton fabric. And his white shorts. Naruto doesn't even want to describe how his son's shorts look like. This tinted substance better not cling on the fabric or Naruto is going to make Sai eat Rasengan when he gets back.

Naruto sighs in defeat. "That's enough, Kyouhei. Let's get you cleaned up." He picks up his son and brings him to the bathroom, hoping that Tamiko will keep her end of the bargain and have the room at least eighty-percent back in order.

Getting the tub filled while keeping Kyouhei in place proves to be a tougher task especially for someone who is seven months pregnant like him. Naruto feels rather frustrated. He's a chuunin for crying out loud, yet he finds it infinitely more difficult to undress a squirming toddler than landing a hit on Tobi's intangible form.

With the strength befitting of a future Hokage and the patience required of a mother (seven years of being called 'Mama' with his husband's constant teasing has finally drilled the idea that he, Naruto, is technically a mother), he is able to coax Kyouhei to step into the lukewarm water.

The battle doesn't end there. Oh no, it doesn't. Kyouhei apparently deems it fun to flap his arms around and seems to enjoy seeing water splash straight to Naruto's oversized orange shirt. "Mama, look! I'mma ninja," the boy says, his giggles bouncing off the blue and white tiled walls of the bathroom.

Naruto reminds himself that Patience is a virtue. "Kyou-chan, sit still. We've been here for half an hour. If you stay in there any longer, your skin will get pruned."

"Pyuned?" Kyouhei blinks and gazes up at him with his dark, alluring eyes – Sasuke's eyes. _Damn_, why do those dark Uchiha eyes have to be the dominant trait? He's hoping to at least have one child that will bear his blue eyes and blond hair. His hand lands on his swollen tummy. Maybe this next little one will.

"Yes, baby. Your skin will get all wrinkly and ugly. You wouldn't want that to happen, would you?" Naruto then sends out a quick prayer to all deities he knows that Kyouhei will indeed sit still long enough for Naruto to rinse the shampoo off his son's hair.

Little miracles do happen when one has enough faith and Naruto is finally, _finally,_ done giving Kyouhei his much-needed bath. He's wheedling his son to get out of the water when someone says, "Need any help?" from behind him.

_Saved!_ Naruto exclaims in his head at the same time Kyouhei hollers, "Papa!"

Sasuke stares at them for a moment, as if taking a mental picture of the scenario with Naruto soaking wet while keeping a firm grasp on a bouncing Kyouhei to keep the boy from slipping. They must make a perfect illustration of absurdness if the amused look that Sasuke is sporting is anything to go by.

"No, I got it covered," is Naruto's belated response to Sasuke's benign, albeit a bit sarcastic, offer of help. He is so not going to back down on this challenge and he never goes back on his word. He has explicitly told Sasuke that he can handle the children before Sasuke left for that damnable mission. Personally, Naruto thinks the Daimyo is abusing his power just to have Sasuke around because… _ugh,_ the very thought of that flamboyant bastard flirting with _His_ Sasuke makes Naruto's skin crawl.

Solid pale arms coil around his waist, hands cupping his belly. "You shouldn't be working yourself too hard lest you want to go on premature labor," Sasuke purrs close to his ear before warm lips presses against that ticklish spot on the side of his neck. "As for you young man," Sasuke grabs Kyouhei and lifts him out of the tub, water dripping from the plump little body, "You will get a double time out for giving Mama a hard time."

"No, no, no. Kyouhei good," is the adamant protest that tumbles out of their son's mouth, his head shaking in defiance.

"We'll see about that." Sasuke clutches Naruto's arm and gives a tug strong enough to help Naruto on his feet but gentle enough not to hurt. "The living room looks… interesting," he says on their way out of the bathroom. "The kitchen too."

Naruto releases his probably fifteenth sigh since this morning. "Your fault for agreeing with Sai that your kids need to learn to express themselves artistically."

One dark eyebrow arches in a perfect curve. "My fault? And why are they just _my_ kids all of a sudden?"

"Ha!" Naruto huffs indignantly, lifting his nose up in the air. "If they're being difficult, they're _your_ kids."

A smirk only an Uchiha can pull slides onto Sasuke's lips. "You're such a child."

"And you're a bas—" Naruto bites his tongue. _Damn, that was close._

Then Kyouhei blurts out, "Papa, bastard!" and claps his hands, crisp, melodic laughter rippling out of his tiny mouth.

Both Naruto and Sasuke bellow, "Kyouhei!" and their little brat cringes… more from Sasuke's outburst that Naruto's, it seems.

Sasuke sighs. "This little guy and I are gonna have a talk. Why don't you and Tami-chan take a shower and we can all go out to Ichiraku's for lunch. I'll be the one to clean up when we come back."

"But, Sasuke. They're not supposed to have lunch. I'm giving them The Punishment."

"We can give them The Punishment tonight. No dessert after dinner." Naruto is about to protest, to point out that Sasuke is doing exactly what he's been accusing Naruto of: spoiling their children. But Sasuke quickly adds, "You are seriously not going to starve our kids now, are you? Better feed them right than have you sneak them junk foods late at night."

Naruto sputters incoherently, wanting to deny it and at the same time wondering why the hell Sasuke knows about that sneaking-food-to-the-kids thing. Sasuke chuckles darkly, plants a quick kiss on Naruto's temple then saunters over to Kyouhei's bedroom with their little boy wriggling in his arms.

The bath with Tamiko takes only a quarter of the time Naruto spent with Kyouhei and they're soon dressed and off to lunch.

The sun is high up in the sky but Naruto can barely feel the heat. There's a hint of autumn breeze dancing around them, making their walk to Ichiraku's pleasant and sweat-free. A sudden gust rushes past them, making Tamiko's blue sundress billow behind her. Naruto tightens his hold on his daughter before throwing a glance at his husband who has Kyouhei sitting on his shoulder.

"Why are you back early, by the way?" he asks. "I thought you'll be on that mission for a couple days more."

"Hn," Sasuke huffs like he usually would when he finds something ridiculous. "My presence there isn't necessary. There's an entire team of ANBU watching over the Daimyo and three other jounin, Sai included. Besides, that useless skunk is just going through his regular visits to the smaller villages in Fire Country. There are more important matters here that require my attention. And…" his gaze slants over to Naruto, "I was worried about you."

The way Sasuke says it makes Naruto feel like he's incapacitated or something so he says, "I'm not exactly helpless, you know," in defense and belatedly realizes that perhaps Sasuke really is just concerned.

"Maybe you aren't." Ichiraku's stand comes into view. Sasuke pauses in his steps long enough to bring Kyouhei down on the ground then his dark eyes meet Naruto's, pale lips curving into his usual conniving smile. "But our house is."

Naruto makes a derisive sound through his nose. "Ha-ha. Very funny. Let's see who ends up being helpless if you are to sleep on the couch for the next five days." He stomps over to his favorite ramen stand, dragging Tamiko and Kyouhei with him.

Sasuke creeps in after them and raises his hand to get Teuchi's attention. "Hey old man," he says and without waiting for Teuchi to react, he babbles on, "Give us two kiddie bowls of miso ramen, one regular bowl of beef and two very large bowls of miso pork ramen with extra pork barbeque for my very pregnant husband here."

Damn. Sasuke does know how to bribe him.

That night, Naruto does end up sneaking dessert to the kids while Sasuke is in the bathroom.

"Won't Papa get mad?" Tamiko asks with overt wariness, though her eyes reflect how much she wants that piece of cake sitting on the plate.

"It will be our secret," Naruto whispers, brushing his fingers through her soft, silky locks.

Once the cake slices are gone and Kyouhei's face no longer holds any evidence of their deed, Naruto guides them to the bed and reads them a story. That's how Sasuke finds then five minutes later, with Kyouhei close to dozing off.

"So…" he starts, gaze falling on the bedside table, "I see you brought them dessert after all."

_Fuck!_ Naruto has forgotten to hide the plate. Guilt crawls up to his cheeks, making his skin burn. "Um… I can explain?"

Sasuke just rolls his eyes. "You don't have to. You're lucky you're pregnant though. Otherwise, it's you who'll be sleeping on the couch." He offers to read the other half of the story but Kyouhei falls asleep after a page and Tamiko is yawning incessantly.

Naruto hums a random tune until his little girl's breathing evens out while Sasuke brings Kyouhei back to his room. He's almost out the door when he hears Tamiko's soft voice say, "Mama?" so he turns around to see her gazing up at him with droopy eyes. "Are you still mad at me?" she asks before breaking into another yawn.

Despite seeming half-asleep, remorse defines the expression she flashes for a moment and it's enough to put a crack on Naruto's resolve. But he knows he has to remain firm regardless of how much it breaks his heart to penalize them for what they did earlier. "No, sweetie. I'm not mad anymore. But you're not exactly off the hook yet. You're still grounded for a week."

"Okay," she says, her voice sounding like a mile away and Naruto can tell she's slowly slipping into la-la land. "G'night, Mama."

"Good night, precious."

=0=0=

_Approximately 7 weeks later…_

"Naruto, we've done this twice before, you know damn well not to push!" Tsunade's voice rings above Naruto's constant cursing. "Now you, Uchiha. Help him shift to his side and curl up like a fetus so Eiji here can administer anesthesia."

The last thing Naruto consciously hears is Tsunade asking him to count from ten backwards and Naruto starts muttering ,"Ten… Nine… Eight… Seve…nnnn," and he's floating. And floating. And…

A deep, throaty chuckle makes him snap his eyes open and he perceives that he's in that familiar place where his mind sometimes wanders – an oblivion of sorts – like the one where he and Kurama rendezvous but this one isn't dark and gloomy. Instead, a luminous glow surrounds him, blinding him.

"Look at you," someone says and it eerily sounds like…

"Pervy sage?" Naruto blinks once, twice, and soon that radiant light recedes and he can clearly identify the silhouette hovering before him.

"My, my. I never imagined you would be bearing children, and look at you now," Jiraiya – or dream-Jiraya says with a light laugh.

"W-what are you doing here?" Naruto knows this is merely a visual effect of his heavily drug-induced mind but… but it seems so real. "I mean, why am I seeing you? You never showed up when Tami-chan and Kyou-chan were born."

"I may have a reason, I may not." Jiraiya takes a step closer, his face in full view. "Or perhaps I'm merely a product of your subconscious, which means _You_ brought me here."

"Uh…" There's not a single response Naruto can come up with. Must be that damn anesthesia eating his brain.

But Jiraiya saves him from potential mind struggle when he says, "I wish I'm still around to see your children. You take good care of them now, you hear?"

"Right." A sudden thought hits Naruto like a brick on the head. "Wait. You're not worming your way into my subconscious thoughts so I can name my kid after you, are you?"

Jiraiya laughs, this time hearty and vociferous. "I don't think that will be appropriate," he says when he finally settles down.

"Why not?"

"You'll see," are Jiraiya's last words before Naruto feels a rapid pull from his navel followed by a rush of air flowing in his lungs and an incessant ringing in his ears.

It takes a minute, perhaps more, before he realizes that the ringing is the piercing cry of an infant. "Naruto," he hears Sasuke enunciate his name as if it's a sacred secret and he sounds awfully close too. "Naruto, wake up."

As soon as Naruto is able to open his eyes, he is greeted with a bundle of white blanket with Sakura's face in the background. "Naruto," she says, her pink hair glowing like a halo on her head. "Congratulations. It's a girl. And she looks just like you."

"A girl," Naruto mumbles while Sakura lays the infant-filled blanket in Naruto's trembling arms. It feels like half of him is still lingering in limbo but he's aware enough to archive his daughter's image in the forefront of his mind. "Look Sasuke," he says though he's certain that Sasuke has his eyes pinned on their newborn child. "She's got blond hair. And blue eyes."

"I know." Sasuke's thumb curls around the edge of the blanket, pushing the fabric away from their baby's face, perhaps to see her better. "She's beautiful. Just like you."

It's Sakura who brings up the fundamental subject that everyone who is caught in reverie seems to have transiently forgotten. "Do you have a name for her?"

Naruto lifts his head to share an eloquent gaze with his husband. He and Sasuke speak simultaneously, saying, "Yeah," but it's Sasuke who adds, "Her name is Hikari."

The next day, Naruto finds himself surrounded by his family – both immediate and surrogate – and his friends in his rather spacious hospital room.

"I'm big brother?" Kyouhei asks, eyes shining with pride.

Naruto knows how to feed his son's ego because even though he looks like Sasuke (although Kyouhe's hair, regardless of being dark in color, resembles his own in style – sticking up to every direction imaginable), Kyouhei is a lot more like him: eager to please others. "That's right, Kyou-chan. You're Hika-chan's big brother and it's your job to protect her."

"I will, Mama, I pwomise."

"Another addition to the bunch. You think you can handle that, Naruto?" Not surprisingly, it's Kiba who always, _always_ ruin the moment.

"Of course." Naruto holds his head up high thinking that if his arms aren't occupied and his children aren't flanking him, he would've leaped out of bed to wipe that annoying smirk off of Kiba's face.

"That means less missions for you for the next six months or so." Kiba sniggers and shakes his head. "Man you're gonna be stuck as a chuunin, probably forever."

Normally, Naruto would be chagrined over Kiba's insolence, but surprisingly he doesn't give a _shit_ what Kiba or anyone says. "I don't mind." Naruto lifts his shoulders in a nonchalant shrug. "After all, being a mother is the best job in the world."

And there's nothing else he'd rather be. Except to become Hokage, of course.

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_thank you for reading – clover71_

Thanks to Naruto7771 for offering to do beta for me. I am still looking for more beta since there are probably 3 other (Naruto) fan fictions that I plan to write for several challenges in LiveJournal. I may need artists too, if you're interested. You may contact me through my email address, clover71 -at- writeme -dot- com or the proper way may be found in my profile.

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